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Sam

© Harold Friend

Sam stretched his legs, analyzed the scoreboard, looked up to the sky, and slowly rose out of his seat. Bob Sheppard had ordered Sam to honor America while Kate Smith sang "God Bless America." All but a few fans complied and when Miss Smith, who died in 1986, finished her tribute, much to Sam's delight, they played "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." He fondly remembered the days when Kate Smith sang only on special occasions, but ever since the day after the game against Boston was rained out, baseball was not the same because most fans were distracted by the following days "events," but not Sam. For Sam, baseball was baseball. Period.

The days after the attack passed quickly and Sam was truly shocked his first day back at the Big Ballpark after the former owner of the Texas Rangers had told Americans to get back to baseball and let him protect them against the forces of evil. Getting back to the ballpark gave Sam a sense of security despite the fact that the game against Tampa Bay was uneventful. An unknown pitcher named Tanyon Sturtze was pitching a shutout against the defending World Champions.

In the middle of the seventh inning, as he had done for years, Sam started to holler, "New York Yanks, New York Yanks," hoping he and the other fans could rally the Yankees but Sam was just about the only person in the Yankee Stadium shouting it. Almost in unison, all the fans were screeching "U.S.A., U.S.A." When Sam continued "New York Yanks, New York Yanks," some fans looked at him in amazement while others tried to get him to change his chant. He didn't.

It was now the 2005 season, and on this particular day, Tampa Bay was again the opponent, but unlike the game in 2001, this time the Yankees were winning handily. However, Sam was not pleased. During the last few seasons, the Yankees beat the bad teams, held their own with the better ones, but lacked the ability to win the last game of the season. Sam blamed George Steinbrenner.

Oh, the Yankees' owner knew how to make money. He created the Yankees Entertainment and Sports network (YES), charged outrageous prices for parking and hot dogs, and was working on a sweetheart deal to get help building a new ballpark. Sam always referred to it as "a new ballpark" and not a "new Yankee Stadium." There had been and always would be only one Yankee Stadium, even if it existed only in Sam's memory.